Healthcare Social Workers Salary
In Tuscaloosa, AL, healthcare social workers earn $56,860 at the median, or about $27.34 an hour. The range runs from $40K at the entry level to $73K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 87.72), which stretches that salary to about $64,820 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,169/month, about 31.3% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $57K get you in Tuscaloosa?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Tuscaloosa’s Regional Price Parity (87.72). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About healthcare social workers
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What this looks like in Tuscaloosa
Pay for healthcare social workers in Tuscaloosa runs about 16% below the U.S. median of $68K. Rent runs $1,169/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 31.1% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 87.72 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 12% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for healthcare social workers in metros near Tuscaloosa, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Birmingham | $61K | $67K |
| Montgomery | $58K | $65K |
| Huntsville | $63K | $67K |
| Mobile | $61K | $69K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Tuscaloosa, AL
Entry-level healthcare social workers (10th percentile) start around $40K. Mid-career wages sit at $57K. Top earners bring in $73K or more, a $33K spread from bottom to top.
Healthcare Social Workers pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Healthcare Social Workers salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $94K | +39% | 420 |
| California | $90K | +32% | 17,690 |
| Hawaii | $85K | +26% | 660 |
| Oregon | $84K | +24% | 2,320 |
| New Jersey | $83K | +22% | 4,310 |
| Vermont | $81K | +20% | 250 |
| Connecticut | $80K | +18% | 1,650 |
| Washington | $79K | +16% | 5,180 |
| Nevada | $78K | +16% | 1,160 |
| New Hampshire | $78K | +15% | 590 |
| Utah | $78K | +15% | 1,750 |
| Massachusetts | $76K | +13% | 7,220 |
| Maryland | $76K | +13% | 4,750 |
| Rhode Island | $75K | +11% | 630 |
| Idaho | $75K | +10% | 750 |
| Minnesota | $74K | +9% | 2,430 |
| New York | $73K | +8% | 20,440 |
| Maine | $72K | +5% | 790 |
| Texas | $70K | +3% | 10,880 |
| Michigan | $68K | -0% | 4,860 |
| Wisconsin | $67K | -1% | 3,770 |
| Virginia | $67K | -2% | 3,070 |
| New Mexico | $66K | -3% | 1,200 |
| Florida | $65K | -5% | 10,520 |
| Delaware | $65K | -5% | 780 |
| Indiana | $65K | -5% | 3,890 |
| Kansas | $64K | -5% | 1,360 |
| Illinois | $64K | -5% | 4,910 |
| Kentucky | $64K | -6% | 1,980 |
| Arizona | $64K | -6% | 3,100 |
| Ohio | $64K | -6% | 8,930 |
| Colorado | $63K | -6% | 3,670 |
| North Carolina | $63K | -7% | 5,120 |
| Iowa | $63K | -7% | 1,550 |
| North Dakota | $63K | -7% | 330 |
| Georgia | $62K | -8% | 6,970 |
| Nebraska | $62K | -8% | 980 |
| Wyoming | $62K | -8% | 180 |
| Mississippi | $62K | -8% | 1,890 |
| Alaska | $62K | -9% | 480 |
| Pennsylvania | $62K | -9% | 9,630 |
| Tennessee | $61K | -10% | 5,970 |
| Louisiana | $61K | -10% | 1,970 |
| South Carolina | $61K | -10% | 3,100 |
| West Virginia | $60K | -11% | 1,100 |
| Alabama | $60K | -12% | 2,850 |
| Missouri | $60K | -12% | 4,430 |
| South Dakota | $58K | -15% | 790 |
| Montana | $57K | -16% | 840 |
| Oklahoma | $56K | -17% | 2,310 |
| Arkansas | $56K | -18% | 1,250 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)
Track healthcare social workers salary changes
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Frequently asked questions
Can a healthcare social worker afford a 2BR apartment alone in Tuscaloosa?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $57K, rent takes 31.1% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,169/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,100/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for healthcare social workers in Tuscaloosa?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new healthcare social workers typically earn — is $40K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,404/month. At HUD’s $1,169/month FMR, rent would take 49% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is healthcare social worker a high-paying job in Tuscaloosa?
Local pay runs 16% below the national median — $57K here vs. $68K nationally. Cost of living is 12% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Tuscaloosa compare to the national average for healthcare social workers?
Tuscaloosa pays $57K median vs. the U.S. average of $68K — that’s -16%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 87.72), the purchasing-power equivalent is $65K — below the national median.
How much do healthcare social workers make in Tuscaloosa, AL?
The median is $56,860 a year, that works out to about $27 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $40,060, and experienced healthcare social workers can clear $73,040. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $57K enough to live in Tuscaloosa?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,754/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,169/month, which eats 31.1% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a healthcare social workers salary go in Tuscaloosa?
Tuscaloosa has a Regional Price Parity of 87.72 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median healthcare social workers salary is worth about $64,820 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do healthcare social workers get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.